For the first time ever, a human with paralysis can move his hand again

Restoring mobility to people living with paralysis is one of the great challenges of modern medicine, and until recently, it remained more of a hope than reality. But in a pioneering clinical study, scientists may have finally crossed the frontier. They've developed a cutting-edge new technology that -- for the first time -- has allowed a human with paralysis to move his hand again, a breakthrough described in a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The technology is the product of a decade's work involving close collaboration among experts in neurology, physiology and engineering. SEE ALSO: Scientists find 13 genetic'superheroes' resistant to severe childhood illnesses The result is a complex "neural bypass" system that's able to decode brain waves and use them to control a muscle stimulator that empowers movement in a paralyzed limb.